ACME California IPA | North Coast Brewing Co.

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User Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by TheRougeBastard:

4/5 rDev +10.5%look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured with a nice golden hue typical of the style with a slight head of foam. First taste revealed a generous amount of hops and a nice malt backbone, a nice balance. The 6.9% abv was well-hidden and actually went extremely well with the fish & chips I was enjoying. Truth be told, I selected this because it was a "west coast" IPA that I hadn't heard of and it is one of my goals to try them all! I'll have this again should I come across it!

More User Reviews:

Fuzzy, flaked, flecked apricot-amber. It looks like someone squeezed some variety of citrus fruit into the glass, pulp and all. The beer is capped with a nice looking head of lemony dark cream that is semi-firm, persistent and chiseled as it deflates. A good bit of chunky lace graces the glass in sputters and spatters.

After the underhopped ACME APA, it crossed my mind that this beer might suffer a similar fate. My fears were unfounded if the nose is any indication. Although it isn't nostril candy, it is plenty hoppy. Citrus zest is the focal point, with a musky, mid-frequency pungency... as opposed to a bright, high-frequency, bright citrus burst. Some variety of floral hops have been added to the 'one or more of the 4-Cs' hop bill if I'm not mistaken.

California IPA is lovely stuff. It's abundantly clear that my hop deficiency worries were misplaced. There's a more than competent, biscuity maltiness on hand to push back against the fruity, lip-smacking hops. The balance is still a bit askew in favor of hoppy and bitter, but then balanced IPAs have never seemed quite right to me. Although this is far from hop juice, hopheads will find a lot to like.

I'm still convinced that some other, non-routine hop variety is in use; the flavor has just enough 'otherness' to keep that notion in play. I'm a little surprised at the 52 IBUs; I'd have guessed a little higher.

The long finish is somewhat resiny with echoes of white grapefruit pith and pine needles. The mouthfeel has a lot to recommend it; it's medium-full and smooth. Lace update: I continue to be impressed since crusty sheets are adorning more than half the glass at present.

ACME (why the shouting?) California IPA is a pleasant surprise after the lackluster showing of its little brother APA. California is bursting at the seams with quality (indeed, mind-blowing) IPAs. This beer clearly doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the all-time greats, even within its own state, but it's a fine example of the style. If I had access, I'd reserve a spot for it in my fridge.

ACME IPA opidomizes the traditional identity of what west coast IPA's are. The crisp maltiness gives a modest and receeding caramel flavor without the cloying sweetness of caramel candies. Lightly bready and with a grahm cracker dry sweetness, the malts are ultimately clean and well attenuated.

But that's not why this beer is so good. It's all about the hops. Resiny and mouth coating with citrusy grapefruits, orange zest, and pineapple. Throw in shaddows of pine, lemon grass, and fresh cut herbs and we have a complex hop profile with refreshing and thirst quenching bitterness.

Because ACME IPA isn't larger than life, as are the Blind Pigs or the west coast, this one might share the same status as Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale: A basic error free beer that exemplifies the style to perfection but ultimately underminded because of it's moderate take on the style, and not the extreme. I beg to differ.

Pours a lighter shade of copper with a thin white head,very well balanced aromas piney hop over top of sweet caramel malt makes this appetizing to the nose for sure.I have to say that this IPA is much more balanced than I expected sure the healthy dose of piney/citrusy,resiny hop is there but its held up niely to a lightly swwet caramel backbone that makes for a nice finish and aftertaste.This beer is alot more balanced than I had expected California IPA to be means tongue curling hop monster but this has the hops with the malt and I liked it,I would definently buy again.

Appearance  This one poured a beautiful, pure orange in color with some lively carbonation and a bit of sediment on the bottom of the glass. The head was puffy and showed a lot of retention. It was so fluffy that I had to touch it and, yes indeed, it is soft to the touch.

Smell  There is a wonderful mix of hops in this nose. I can pick up some good citrus and a bit of pine. There are some light fruity notes that excel. The malt base is here  actually its very thick  but this is just a supporting cast to this hop bomb.

Taste  Oh, yeah. This is East Coast meets West Coast. The big West Coat hop flavors are out in spades here. I can also pick up those light, fruity back East hops. The malt backbone is large and in charge.

Mouthfeel  This very balanced medium to full-bodied IPA is a mouthfull to say the least. It is big and malty and really gets the gums working.

Drinkability  This reminds me of Brutal Bitter. Its big with some good sweetness and offers a lot to the drinker/taster. Maybe it has crystal hops?

A very sessionable IPA but not a standout at all. The beer poured a light amber color with a nice white head that left great lace on the glass. The smell was lightly hopped for a AIPA but still inviting with light citrus and hop scents. The taste was nothing outstanding with an over emphasis on the malts in my opinion. There was a touch of dry hop bitterness but this was definantly a more balanced IPA that would work as a good transition beer for people. Recommended but only if you are new to IPA's.

Nice example of an IPA. The beer was an amber color with a thick white head and abundant lacing. The aroma was primarily floral, with a hint of honey. I think I could detect a little citrus also. The taste was more grapefruit, but I could taste some pine also. This was not a hop bomb, actually fairly mild. It went well with my Reuben.

Presentation: 12oz twist-off bottle. A blonde beer maiden holds a tray of full beer mugs, and two mugs in the other hand. She is smiling (at me?) amongst a field of hops and malt. "Marry me fair beer maiden." comes to mind as a drool for the first sip of malty nectar.

Appearance: A very clear rich amber colour crowned by a frothy white head that retains, and sticks to the glass. Small bubbles.

Smell: Malty sweet, grainy, perfumy, with alcohol notes.

Taste: What a mouthfeel! Very rich, smooth, full, complex. Loads of malt sweetness up-front, some toasted notes, with some major alcohol presence. All of this is underlined by some fruity esters and a well balanced citrus/flowery hop characteristic.

Notes: This brew finishes strong, semi-dry, and warms the body @ 6.5%. An excellent West Coast IPA, with a kick. FYI ... my lust for the label had nothing to do with this review.

12 oz bottle. Pours a golden orange with a soapy white head that retains well and leaves some lacing.

The aroma is grassy hops, a little bready malt and quite a bit of DMS. Floral hops come out as it warms.

The flavor is fruity (melon) and toasted malts follwed by an earthy floral hoppiness. It has a big lingering bitter aftertaste. Skunky Canadian beer burps. It's medium bodied and lightly carbonated, a little watery.

Overall, a pretty pedestrian IPA. It's pretty unbalanced and just doesn't do much for me.

From the tap it came a nice medium golden with a white creamy head of teensy bubbles. Nice light and fresh scent, citrus... Alot of lacing. Nice hoppy bite, but not too intense. Good flavors. Grapefruit juice and rind, itsy bit of pepper in there, not much. Some dark fruits. Very easy drinking.

Pours a hazy light copper with a finger head that sticks around and leaves some nice lacing. Aroma is very nice citrus with hints of pine. Taste is citrus with nice crisp hops and enough malts to keep the bitters from getting too bad. Mouthfeel is slightly resiny, but okay for style. Very drinkable and much much better than the California Pale Ale.

Appearance: The shaded golden colour shows a good clarity, a healthy looking foamy head draws attention as it sticks to the glass.

Smell: Citrus and mild minty hops in the nose, light esters and pale malt character as well.

Taste & Mouthfeel: The semi-aggressive hop character brands a citric piney and almost minty bitter flavour from start to finish. Alcoholic esters are mild yet quite warming. The solid foundation of malt does not build any higher but holds together well. Finishes with a steely grain and raw hop bitterness.

Notes: This is the typical west coast IPA love it or hate. I for one love it and will come back to it for sure.

A treat to try this one on tap at the Blind tiger NYC, poured, bronzed golden and cloudy, but a citrus nose. Crisp malt backbone, smooth and nicely rounded on the tongue. Hops appear quickly, with a nice grainyness and cirtus notes, nice long piney tastes on the palate. Finishes with a well balanced dance across the tongue. Nice IPA, wish we saw this on a regular basis in the NY area.